Knocking
by AngelAndie
Summary: Dick tries to help Artemis after 3 years of neglecting her life, hiding from her friends, and hiding her pain with a mask...A Tigress mask. Who has she become? Shes having mixed feelings about everything: Wally's death, Nightwing's missions, her father, her sister, her mother, everything. This summery kinda sucks, sorry. SERIOUS Traught, DickXArtemis, NightwingXArtemis. T for lang.
1. Knocking

It had been a long night on duty, slipping through the open window into a dark room. Not even bothering to change she flopped down on to the bed, asleep.

About 7 a.m. when her alarm clock range out and her eyes slowly opened, turning off the ear piercing ringing and pulling herself out of bed. The small apartment was all she needed. After Wally had died their old house felt to big and empty, she had to get out. Now she was living in a small apartment with 1 room, 1 bathroom, and a kitchen with enough room for a small 2-person dining table. She needed change in her life, living like that wasn't going to work much longer.

She drug herself out of her room after a shower, she didn't feel like eating. She hardly felt like doing anything, she hardly felt like anything. No that wasn't true, She did feel like something. She felt like crap, like she was half dead numb. She sat herself at the table, it didn't feel right. It was meant for two. Emptiness, she drug herself back to bed. Today was not going by fast enough.

There was a knocking at the door, it was probably the mailman. Knocking again, they would go away. Knocking again.

***Artemis's POV***

_(Ugh would they just go away...)_

Knocking again...

"Artemis, open the door." a voice on the other side of the door.

_(Wait, are they in my HOUSE...Well Apartment)_

"Artemis if you don't answer I will break this door in"

I grumbled something about going away and knife my bed hopping it would make him go away.

"1..."

_(whats he take me for? A kid, that wont work.)_ More grumbles of "go the hell away."

"2...3..."

_(Ugh really?)_ "NO, GO AWAY"

"4..."

_(Oh dammit hes not joking is he...)_

As the door flew open "FINE, WHAT DO YOU WANT BIRD BRAIN"

At first sight I could clearly see the deep black rings of tiredness under his eyes, he looked like he could fall asleep at any second.

There was a pause, then Dick's face twisted into disgust and confusion, "...bird...brain...?"

Artemis glared, "todays a bad day."

"Everydays a bad day for you Arty"

The use of my old nickname Wally had given me hit like a million pounds, it hurt. I missed him, I needed him.

"Go away."

"No."

"Dick...Please..."

"Artemis..."

I couldn't take it anymore, I slammed the door shut and locked it. (I'll probably regret that later, but right now I don't care)

I made it back into bed, sliding under the blankets and pulling them over my head. Sighing, I began drifting off to sleep. Well until I realized...Weight pushed down the side of my bed, making me jump.

Sighing, "do you ever give up?"

"Come on, you know me."

"Why are you in my house...?"

"Well for starters this is an apartment...Not a house."

I groaned and rolled over to face the wall, putting my back to him. My head was still covered.

"Artemis, come on. No ones seen you for weeks, its time you come out of hiding."

"I was out last night."

Dick Sighed, "you have a social life you know?"

"I socialized last night."

"As Tigress doesn't count, socializing with Joker goons doesn't count either."

I sighed, "is anything ever good enough for you?"

"No."

"Clearly." was the only reply I could grunt back.

"Well if your not going to get up, I'll just lay down too." Dick slid under the covers.

"Dick what do you think your doing?"

"Shush, I've been awake for almost a full week."

"This is my bed..." my voice trailed off when I heard him snoring.

Sighing I put my back against his.

_(His warmth, it feels so right. So, comforting. I miss this, oh god NO Artemis snap out of it.)_

Mental facepalm, I miss the comfort and warmth of another.

_(This isn't right, SOMEONE WAKE ME UP...Please...Wally...Please save me.)_

I could feel tears burning my eyes, begging to run down my face. I tried to hold them back but, but as normal they over powered my will. Running down my face I silently cried myself back to sleep, finding myself closer to Dick every second. Until I could no longer cry, my eyes were red, puffy, and hurting. I rolled over and put my cheek onto Dick's shoulder blade, I needed to be held right now. I slowly fell asleep.

The next thing I new was waking up with muscular arms around me, my eyes still hurt but the redness had faded. I could feel a chin on my forehead, then I could feel his arms pulling me closer.

"Dick...?" I could tell, my voice was cracky.

"Yes Artemis?" His voice sounded groggy, he must have just woke up also.

"Dick, we have to go meet the others."

"Ugh, I...Um..."

He must have just realized our situation, he was shifting uncomfortably.

"I'm sorry." I chocked out, as a red tent covered my face

"Don't be, Artemis. Its been 5 years, Wally would want you to move on..."

"I know that...But Dick, you were his best friend. I can't."

"Artemis, I'm not asking you to right now. But please think about it, Wally would want you to be happy. He would want you to move on. Artemis, your not happy...I can see it in your eyes, you hardly smile anymore. Please, let me help you smile."

"Dick..." I couldn't help it, I lost it. More tears, as I pushed my face into his chest. I was in love all over again, but it wasn't right. It wasn't right to Wally, I felt like a back stabber. I felt like i was cheating on him, with hes BEST FRIEND. I'm a horrible person, a horrible back stabbing...Person.

"Come on, my phones gone off 5 times in the last minute." he whiped my tears away and lightly brushed my cheek with his lips.

"Okay..." _(OKAY? Artemis is that all you can say? AFTER ALL THIS CRYING...OKAY? *mentally slaping myself over and over*)_

"Artemis?" Dick's eyes showed how worried he was.

"I'm sorry, I just. I was thinking."

"About?" Worry was ever creeping into his voice.

"Nothing," we both got up. He left the room so I could change out into public cloths, NOT that I was wearing anything unappropriated. I heard him sigh, even tho my door was closed. I'm in love with him, why me? Why does this have to be me?


	2. Beach Day

Refresh you memory: Artemis and Dick both fell asleep, waking back up around 9 a.m. now heading out to meet up with the group. And thank you for the reviews!

**~Small time skip Dick's POV~**

We were walking down the street, Artemis's apartment was only a few blocks away from the academy and only a few more away from the beach. It was a warm day, but not to hot. We were dressed with our swim wear under our normal cloths, she had a baggy almost see-through-white shirt and light gray shorts. You could kind of see her top bikini through the shirt because it was white with dark emerald green trim, the left side had a light blue flower on it. The bottom half of the bikini was also white with emerald green trim. I wore a plain white T-shirt, dark blue and black swim trunks, and of course my dark sun glasses.

Only about 3 more blocks, we walked in silence but it was a conferrable silence. I fought back the urge to grab her hand and tangle our fingers together, I didn't want her to recoil away from me. I had already pushed my luck with her this morning, I was tired and didn't care. Looking back now I realized how bad that could have ended.

I was snapped out of my thoughts when a guy shoved past Artemis almost knocking her down, when I turned around the guy was looking at the ground then shot glared at me.

"Hey, watch it girl." He was shirtless and shoe less, and his feet were covered with sand and his swim trunks were socking wet. He also had two dog tags with a thick chain around his neck. He was extremely tan with blonde hair and had a noticeably muscular body, he glanced at Artemis with a glare but as soon as he saw her his whole attitude changed.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to run into you."

"Uhm, no problem? I'm sorry I was so busy daydreaming I wasn't watching where I was walking." Artemis seemed caught off guard but his sudden change of attitude.

"No it's my fault, are you going to the beach?" He was looking at her as if I didn't exist, I fought back the urge to punch him.

"Yea, actually we are." she glanced down at his feet then back up at him, "is that where you were?"

"Yea I've been surfing all day. Just walked up here to get a smoothie, they have boom mango and sweet strawberry smoothies. Have you ever had one?"

"No, but a strawberry one sounds good." She giggled lightly. "But we really should get going, maybe I'll see you around sometime."

"Yea, I'd like that" Artemis turned away and began walking, but before he did the same he shot me a cocky smirk almost daring me to lay him one good punch on his chin. He turned and walked off, as if he was king or something better then me.

"Dick are you coming?"

"Yea," I caught back up to her and I couldn't stop myself. "What was with that guy?"

"What do you mean? He was just caught off guard, thats all."

"Yea, sure I guess." There was something off about that guy, but I didn't push it any farther. We were less then a block from the beach fence, I'm sure that guy wouldn't be back.

"Look! There, do you see Conner sitting on the rock?"

"...No?"

"Dick right there, like 7 feet away from your face." She was laughing as she said this, yes I saw him. I saw him long before she did.

"Wait, where? I don't see what your talking about, a rock? You must be going crazy, seeing stuff!"

Her laugh, its so amazing. "SUUUUUURRRREEE your just a blind birdy!" She teased me as she undressed tossing her cloths in a pile with her flip flops.

"No I'm NOT," I pulled off my T-shirt and tossed it with her cloths.

"Yes, you, are." she had a huge smile as she giggled

"No, I'm, not." now that she was undressed I picked her up, and headed for the water.

"Dick what are you doing? Let me go!" She wiggled in my grasp but I made sure to hold her tight enough I wouldn't drop her or her get free, but loose enough I wouldn't hurt her.

I walked in about waist deep, "you still want me to let you go?"

"YES,"

"Well okay?" With that I dropped her. She fell all the way so that her head was under water, I thought I had won. Till I felt her grab my legs and knock me off my feet. And I too fell under the water, I pulled her body close to mine.

_(Man, her laugh...Her touch...Everything about her...She really knocks me off my feet, literally.)_

We both came up from the water, her body in my hands. I flashed her a quick smirk, "don't get to cocky birdy boy" she sent me that cute sneaky smile, making my chest get hot.

After we played in the water a for a few more minutes we walked back up to the shore, then thats when I saw him again. He walked over to Artemis two smoothies in hand, and smiling like the jerk I knew he was.

"Hi, again...Look earlier I didn't catch your name, and it was bugging me. What did you say your name was?"

"She never said her name." I guess you could hear the irritation in my voice, because i swear I saw him flinch but other then that he ignored my existence.

"My name is Artemis, and this is Dick."

"Artemis...Such a _rad_ name. My names Chad."

_(Is he really trying to pull this chill surfer dude act? I bet he can't even sit on a bored.)_

"Are you going to the bonfire tonight?"

"Hmm well maybe, I haven't heard anything about it tho?"

"Everyones going, you should too." He was completely ignoring my presence, as he smirked.

"Well maybe, but two smoothies huh? You drinking both yourself or you go a girl friend around here somewhere?"

"Well I was wondering if you wanted some? You said you liked strawberry."

Right he was handing it to her, her phone rang. I looked down to see her mom's ID flashed across, right now I was mentally thanking her mother.

"I'm sorry, I have to take this." As she turned away and walked a little distance away I watched her, until Chad stepped into my way. Blocking my view, the longer this guy was around that madder I got.

"Whats your problem?" I couldn't stop myself, I knew exactly what he wanted.

"Whats yours?" He was quick to snap back, he was looking for a fight. And he found one.

"For starters your a big one." I wasn't going to let him take her way from me, not after everything we've both been through the past few years.

"Look here dude, shes a real hot babe okay. And I'm taking her, shes mine now. Got it? Its time for you to back off and get lost, shes more interested him ME now." This, THIS, was the line. Thank god for Artemis to save him from a punch I was beyond ready to crash into his face.

"Uhm, excuse me?" I couldn't help but smirk, she had ended the call a few seconds ago and had already made her way back to us. She made it in time to hear the last thing he said, or at least most of it. And by looking at her face she wasn't happy about how much she had heard.

"I think its time for you to 'back off and get lost' got it?" All my anger melted when she said this, I couldn't breathe I was mentally laughing so hard.

His face was priceless, the shock of not only being caught but also being told off. When it finally clicked that he wasn't welcome she stormed off and grabbed his bored from where it was leaning on the empty life guard tower.

It was already heating up the sun beating down on us felt so good, it was now around noon. We walked over to Conner, Zee, Megan, Tim, Cassie, Bart, Raquel, Kal, and Barbra.

Cassie and Tim were off a little distance cuddling, nothing Dick wanted to interrupt, Raquel was in deep conversation with Kal, Meg was attempting to talk to Conner but Zee and Bart kept butting in, and sitting on a white beach towel Barb was reading in the shad of a red umbrella.

"ARTEMIS!"

"Megan!" They both hugged and giggled jumping into immediate deep conversation, I was confused on what matters they were talking about. Nothing I took much interest in, I looked at Conner. Clearly he cared about as much as me, but we humored the rest by acting completely in their conversation as they would turn around bringing us into it for a second then shunning us out the next. Confusing, I know. But it was Megan and Artemis?

_...Let the beach day continue..._


	3. A Lonely Night? Maybe Not

Sorry it took so so so so long, I've been pretty busy but now that summers out I should have more time(:

COOL, here you go c:

* * *

***Normal POV***

It was a calm Saturday night, around 8. She sat in a large recliner under a tall floor lamp reading a love novel in her small apartment room, she had locker herself in her apartment after the beach day she spent with her team. Well Ex team now, she refused to return to that life. So she continued her solo crime fighting, but decided to take a break when Nightwing decided to start "helping" her. And by helping her I mean beating her to the bad guy.

Artemis, being as short tempered as she is, began to try harder to upstage him. Nightwing, being Nightwing, couldn't let that happen. After about 15 tries she finally got frustrated and gave up, you really can't blame her. Can you? He always would flash his cocky smile.

She made sure she locked all her windows and installed 3 locks on her door, just for precautions. She didn't want a certain raven haired boy from inviting himself in, which he always seemed to do.

Now she sat in her big recliner wear a pair of light gray sweats along with a light green tank-top, she also had a pair of thin socks, and her hair tied up in a mid ponytail. Reading her novel, she was so indulged in her book until someone spoke by the door that was a few away feet next to her just a little out of sight.

"Hey."

Screaming she turned around and chucked her book at whoever stood there, it was an instant reaction kind of thing. But he caught the book before it managed to hit him.

"DAMMIT NIGHTWING! What the hell are you doing here?"

***Nightwing/Dick's POV***

"Well I wanted to stop by, but I had no plans on getting books thrown at me."

She glared at me with a deadly look, "how did you get in? I thought I 'Nightwing proofed' this place."

"Well you did a pretty good job, but you forgot I know how much of a genius I am."

"How did you get in?" She walked into the room and checked the untouched the windows, along with the untouched vents which were to small for me to fit through anyways(and its not because I'm chubby, they are just 'unNightwing' sized).

"Dick, how?"

I had to show that nice cocky smile that gets her all worked up, "my little secret."

She sighed and gave me that 'whatever' face. "Fine, then why are you here?"

"Well its Saturday?" Duh?

"You say that as if its something really big, am I missing something?" Her face showed her complete confusion while her voice sounded so innocent, I couldn't help but quietly laugh.

"Stop it," her voice had a hint of whining, "Dick I feel so... So confused, tell meeee."

"Well no its your voice, you sounded so innocent... It was kind of cute..." I flashed her a quick smile.

"Wait, no that's not cute... But by the way, you sound really evil when you snicker like that..."

"I don't snicker?" Do I?

"Yeah, you do." Her face had a slightly red tent to it as she spoke.

"Whatever, everyone's going bowling tonight. Do you want to go?"

"Bowling? I'm not good at that..."

"We can put the sides up?"

"Dick that's not even funny, the sides are for little kids!" I loved the way she sounds so whinny.

"No, I've seen people use them before."

"Well, the offer was nice. But I'm having a 'me night' so, yea sorry Dick."

"No, your coming. You have a 'me night' every night."

"Ugh, fine. Let me get ready."

She pushed past me into the room and shut the door in my face, I walked over into the dinning area and sat that the table which had a bunch of mail stacked on it. I didn't mean to snoop but one of the envelops caught my attention, it was half open with just enough of the contents hanging out that you could make out the beginning. It was written in sloppy cursive writing, but you could still easily ready it.

_"To my daughter,_

_Artemis, I know the death of the Kid Speedster took a toll on your life. I've noticed you no longer assist the Justice League in missions, and I haven't seen you around at all. Have you really left the life of justice? Maybe its time for a new beginning? You know what I mean..."_

I was just about to reach for it so I could finish reading it, but I heard the bedroom door open.


	4. Note

Well, I had the next chapter typed up. It was a short and sticky one, but I figured it would work till my next chapter. But my computer decided it must not have been good enough so it crashed. I'll try typing a better one today, sorry c:

* * *

Chapter 4, Broken Night

Have a taste of a teaser for the next chapter:

* * *

I wrapped my sweater around her shoulders and pulled her closer, fear's a rejection turned into a storm in my mind but still I didn't let her go. I couldn't let her go.

Then my phone rang, Bruce's ID lite up my screen. Good news, please.

I had a sinking feeling. But I pulled away to answer.

"Bruce, good news? Please?" I know I sounded cracky.

"I'm sorry Dick..."


End file.
